Vessel for inflammable liquids.



K. MULLER.

VESSEL FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I7, 1913.

1 1 7 1 ,800 Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

K. MULLER.

VESSEL FOR INFLAIIIMABLE LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I7.19I3.

1 171 ,800. Patented. Feb. 15, 1916. y

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. j

Winesses: I fnven 101:

vcompletion of discharge of UNiTED STATES PATENT orricn.

KARL MULLER, OF SCHLIEREN, SWITZERLAND.

VESSEL FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS.

Application led April 17, 1913.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, KARL MLLER, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at Schlieren, Switzerland, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Vessels for Iniiammable Liquids; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains `to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which .form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in vessels for storinginflammable liquids which are lighter than water.

The improved vessel is provided with inlet and outlet valves for theliquid to he stored, which when the said liquid is at rest are notexposed to the pressure of the conu tents of the vessel, while the inletvalve is closed automatically on-the maximum volume of storage liquidbeing reached, and the outlet valve closed automatically on inflammableliquid, the construction being also such that none of the sealing liquidis lost during filling and discharging.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanylngdrawing,

Figure 1 being a vertical section through the first form ofconstruction, and Fig. 2 a similar view through the secondconstructiona-l form. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pump anddischarge valve en'iployed in the modification depicted in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, 1 isa cylindrical reservoir open at the top and containing water or otherso-called neutral sealing liquid. Near the bottom of this reservoirthere is rigidly secured an inverted container or tank 2, open below. Atthe top 3 of this tank two flexible pipes 4, 5, communicate with itsinterior. The iirst of these pipes is furnished near the top of thereservo-ir 1 with a Stationary valve 6, to-the plug of which there isconnected a double armed weighted lever 7, 8. To the inside wall -of thereservoir 1 there is secured a substantially horizontal fiat spring 9,by means of which the cock-plug can be held in open position, the leverarm 7 being engaged by the spring, while the loaded arm 8 projects up-Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916. Serial No. 761,722.

wardly, as shown by broken lines. On a bracket (not shown) extendingfrom the wall of the reservoir near the spring 1 thereI is mounted alever 10, having a lug 11, which on ascent of the lever arm depressesthe spring 9.

1x is a stop for the lever arm 7 secured to the reservoir wall. Thelever 10 projects into the path of motion of a pin 13 projecting from afloat 12 adapted to.f1oat only in water and not in the inflammableliquid. The float l2 is guided in its movements by a stem 12b whichslides through a sleeve 1b fixed. to the top of the receptacle 1 and onsaid float there is secured a" funnel 14 connected with a flexible pipe15, which conducts through the wall of the reservoir 1 at 16. The pipe 5the reservoir 1 substantially in the plane of the top of tank 2 and hason its freeen-d an projects through the side of,`

automatically closing valve 17, which is .in its highest position on therod 18.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The reservoir 1 is filledwith water or other sealing liquid at least up to the level a, so thatthe tank 2 is always well covered. Hereupon the weighted lever 7, 8, isadjusted in the broken line position, access being had thereto throughthe open top of the reservoir, so that the valve 6 is open, and thespring 9, now pressing against the arm 7 maintains the valvev in thisposition. The petroleum, benzin, or other inflammable liquid to bestored, now flows through the pipe 4 into the tank 2' and expels thesealing liquid contained therein, so that the latter rises in thereservoir 1, until finally the pin 13 of the float strikes the lever 10.Theproportion 4between the volumes of storage ythe level indicated bythe line J). The pin 13 now lifts the lever 10, whereupon the lug 11depresses the spring 9. This causes release of the. weighted lever 7 8,which turns into the full-line position, the valve 6 being thus closedand the flow of inflammable liquid therefore cut oif.

Should, in the course of filling the tank 2 with liquid, the sealingliquid rise higher in the reservoir 1 than the float 12 can ascend, thesuperfluous liquid will run oli" through the funnel 14 and pipe 15.

To discharge inflammable liquid from the tank 2, the valve 17 must bepulled down the rod 18 and opened.vl so that owing to the pressure ofsealing liquid in the reservoir 1 storage liquid is forced out of thetank 2 through the pipe and valve 17. vWhen the discharging operation isfinished, the valve 17 must be released and will be drawn upto the topof the rod 18 automatically by the weight 21, so that it is againlocated above the level of the sealing liquid in the reservoir 1. Thusnormally the valve 17 is not subject to the pressure of the storageliquid in the tank 2; neither is the valve 6 subject to any suchpressure.

Since the storage tank 2 is completely surrounded by the'neutral sealingliquid, it is impossible for air to obtain access to its in terior,which is of great advantage in the case of readily'inflammable liquids,such as petroleum, benzin., etc. Whatever thefalteration in .the volumeof the storage liquid in the tank 2, the volume of the sealing liquid inthe reservoir 1 always remains the same, it being only its level in thereservoir which alters though such level, even when the tank 2 is empty,is always well above the cover 3 of ythe tank. t It will be seen thatthe storage liquid in the tank is constantly forced against the cover 3of the same, so that there is never any space within Vwhich gas canform.

To indicate the quantity of inammable liquid in tank 2, the stem 12bcarries a pointer 12c which travels over a scale 1c marked. on thesleeve 1b.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2-3, the re'servoir 1 and tank 2 arereplaced by similar receptacles 1a, 2a. Instead of the float 12 withattached funnel-pipe 14, 15 a float 12a is provided within the tank 2,whose cover 3a is adapted to accommodate the ioat in its highestposition. Thisfloat 12a immersed partly in the inlammabletliquid andpartly in water is-also adapted to float only in water and not in the'inflammable liquid.. The place of the movable fun-- nel-pipe is taken bya funnel-pipe 14@l stationarily attached to the wall of the reservoir1a. The flexible pipes 4, 5, conducting the valves 6, 17, are replacedby rigid pipes 4a, 5a, which conduct to an inlet valve 6a and an outletvalve 17a respectively. In the pipe 5a there is connected a. pump 22, sothat the inflammable liquid can be Withdrawn from the tank 2 by workingthe pump handle 23. The valve 17, controlling the pipe 5a, is

provided with a double-armed lever 24, 25, the arm 25 being weighted.,while the arm 24 bears against a segment 26 rigidly mounted on the axisof the pump 22. W'hen the handle 23 is in the position of rest, the arm24 bears against the end of the segment 2G, the valve 17a being closed(full-'line position Fig. 3). If, however, the handle 23 is moved towardits other end position, the arm 24 is turned upward .and will rest uponthe periphery of the segment 26, the valve 17a being then opened. Inpumping, the handle 23 is moved to and fro between the two broken lines27^(Fig. 3) and the arm 24 will thus remain on the segment 2G, so-thatso long as pumping continues the valve 17 is always open. IVhen thehandle 23 is returned to its initial position (as shown in Fig. 3) theloaded arm 25 will drop and close the valve.

In order that the float 12 may indicate the quantity of inflammableliquid in the tank 2a, the ioat is attached by a flexible member 29,passing over pulleys 30, with a weight 31, which latter is provided witha pointer 31 `adapted to travel over a scale 32. The arm 7EIL of thelever 7, 8a, which controls the valve 6a, engages with a projection 28of a double-armed lever 28, fulcrumed at 28b to a frame-bar 1b. When theparts 7, 28', engage, the valve 6a occupies the open pos'tion and thelever 28 projects into the path of a stop 33 on the iexible member 29.When the tank 2a is illed with the iniammable liquid, thestop 33 willtip the lever 28, whereby the parts 28, 7 a, are disengaged and thevalve 6a will be closed. 35 is a finger on the Boat 12a and 34 is avalve in the pipe 5a. This valve 34 will be closed by the finger 35,when the tank 2ZL is empty of the indammable liquid.

I claim 2.

1. In a vessel for inflammableliquids, a reservoir for a neutral sealingliquid, a tank for an inflammable liquid arranged inside said reservoirand permanently covered by the content of the latter, said tank beingclosed at the top and open at the bottom and permanently filledwithliquid, independent feed and discharge means for the iniamma.- bleliquid communicating with the interior of said tank, an automaticallyclosing valve in each of said feed and discharge means and normallysituated above the level of the sealing liquid, a float adapted toiloaton the sealing liquid, and means acted upon by said float for releasingthe feed valve when the sealing liquid has reached its upper levelduring filling of the vessel and exerting no control on said valveduring the withdrawal of inflammable liquid.

2. In a vessel for inflammable liquids, a reservoir for a neutralsealing liquid open at the top, a tank for an inflammable liquidarranged inside said y.reservoir and permanently covered by the contentof the latter, Said tank being closedat the top and open at the bottom,and permanently lled With liquid, independent feed and discharge pipesfor the inflammable liquid communicating with the interiorof said tank,a valve in each of said pipes and` situated above the level of thesealing liquid, a ioat adapted to float on the sealing liquid, a leverpivotally mounted on the Wall of the reservoir and arranged'to be actedupon by the float for controlling said feed valve, and means forvertically adjusting the position of the discharge valve.

3. In a vessel for inflammable liquids, a

reservoir for a neutral sealing liquid, a tank for an inflammable liquidarranged inside said reservoir and permanently covered by the contact ofthe latter, said tank being closedat the top and open at the bottom,afeed pipe for the inflammable liquid passing` through said reservoir andconnected lto the tank, a flexible discharge pipe connected to the coverof said tank, anautomatically closing valve outside the vessel on theouter end of said discharge pipe, a vertical rod on Which said closingvalve is slid'ably mounted, a valve in said feed pipe, a double armedWeighted lever connected to the feed valve, a float adapted to floatonly in the sealing liquid, a lever pivotally mounted in the Wall of thereservoir and arranged to be acted upon by the float when said tank isiilled with inflammable liquid to;y close the feed valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

KARL'MLLER.

vWitnesses:

CARL GUBLER, ARNOLD LEHNER.

